Marine safety device.



M. BOUCHET.

MARINE SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2o, 1911-.

1,086,989 Ptented Feb. 10, 19151.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W v @y m #mm 1 Arme/VES@ M. BOUCHET.

MARINE SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 2o, 1911.

Patented Feb.` 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-)SHEET 2.

#W5/V702? ,13W Maa/"Me OMAgZ M A By ATTORNEYS closing of the water-tight doors, etc.

ypressed air contained within itis of suf MAURICE BOUCHET,

eine.

or Pears, FRANCE.

MARI-NE SAFETYA DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1911. Serial No. 639,607.

To all yIJ/wm. t may concern Be it known that I, MAURICE BOUCHET, of 22 Rue Alphonse de Neuville, in'the city of Y Paris, Republic of France, a citizen of the French Republic, have inven-ted a Marine Safety Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description. l

-My invention relates to marine safety devices, my more particular object being to\ provide for increasing the buoyancy of the vessel at certain critical times when danger may accrue from undue pressure of water outside of the vessel, thus tending to crush the vessel inwardly, or from excessive air pressure inside ofthe vessel, having a tend.- ency to disruptthe vessel or some portion thereof.

My invention is associated with the use of watertight compartments used for ballasting the vessel with water, or to compartments containing machinery of any kind and into which water ma by accident or otherwise, be admitted.

In connection with my invention, I'elnly ploypone or more' tanks of compressed air as' hereinafter described, and mechanism acted upon by the 'pressure of air from said tanks, to liberate a quantity of compressedk air within the compartment or compartments to be evacuated, so that the pressure of the compressed air expels the water.

My apparatus is so arranged that when accidents or' certain kinds happen so as to admit water into certain compartments of the vessel, my apparatus is actuated automatically to open a tank of compressed air, said tank having such capacity that the comlicient quantity to expel or drive back the water entering the compartment, or the water contained in the various water ballasted compartments, of the ship. Moreover, this device eomprehends automatically actuating special protective vor life-saving apparatus, such as those insuring the releasing of the safety weights and telephonie buoys, the

My device is essentially characterized by the application, in a compartment communieating with the compartment to be vprotect-4 ed, of a manometric device, such as a flexible diaphragm, upon which acts the super pressure which is produced when the Water breaks into the ship. Thisdiaphragm is combined with a mechanism which opens the high pressure air tank, the compressed air cally closes the air tank when a certain degrec of pressure is reached; this pressure `is ,uiiicient for insuring the exhaustion ot' the Kn atei'. This balancing mechanism avoids a dangerous and unnecessary increase of pressure and prevents the tank from .getting completely empty.

The invention is illustrated, by .way ofv example, in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure l shows in longitudinal vertical section an operating device applicable to a submarineor submersible boat; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section somewhat similar to Fig. l, but showing various movable parts as occupying.;` positions different from those they occupy in said ligure; Fig. 3 is a section somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but showing the device in act-ion and the parts occupying different positions.

As will be seen in Fig. l of the drawings, the present device comprises a casing a; the bottom of said casing is connected by a pipe o', provided with a valve a2, to a watert1ght compartment or water ballasted' compartment u. To this bottom is also connected a pipe Z3 the function of which will be described hereafter. Inside the casing a is arranged a metallic diaphragm c provided at its center with a rigid part e. This diaphragm is subjected, on the one hand, to the pressure coming from the compartment by the pipe o', and, on the other hand, to the pressure existing in a bell d. From this ell d leads a pipe ci in which af cock (Z2 is placed at a suitable place, for instance at the commanders station, the said pipe ending in the casing a. The diaphragm c is guided by arod e and it actuates, through the medium of connecting rods f and g and of a lever It. pivoted at z,'a piston-Z controlling the opening mechanism of the compressed air tank Z which is thus arranged so as to let the `air escape more or less rapidly, according to the pressure inside the casing a. On the other hand, at right angles to the diaphragm c is arranged a second v'flexible diaphragm m having a disk shaped rigid part m; this diaphragm m is located Patent-ed ret. 1o, ism.

between the casing ment and, on the other hand, tothe pressure at tli point thus chosen. The rigid part m of the disk m normally rests on a circular resilient abutment o. This arrangement prevents v'any introduction of liquid into the compartment to' be protected, if theflexible part o f the diaphragm becomes distorted. The said diaphragm is guided by a rod p in contact with a spring 7; and it is connected y by a link q to the connecting rod A. hand Wheel Z" allows the 'of equilibrium,

-back to its initial position,

`which may, 1n the course of time,

'ing any blockage` of the The 'operation is as 'follows:l\lo`rmally, the various parts of the device are in a state as illustrated in Fig. 1. 1f, by reason of an accident, the water breaks into the compartment of the ship, a superpressure is ,produced in this compartment and being transmitted through the pipe a acts upon the diaphragm c. If, at this moment the cock Z2 is closed, which controls the bell c'Z, the diaphragm is then driven upwardly and through the medium ofthe connecting rods f and g and of the lever h, acts upon the piston Z of the compressed air tank Z, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This air under pressure then enters the compartment u through an orifice Z2 and a pipe Z3 and tends to drive back the water that has entered therein. 'Vhen by reason of the admission of compressed air the pressure of the air vinside the compartment u and consequently at a becomes greater than the pressure at n, the diaphragm m, throughthe medium of the link g, acts on the connecting rods f and g and on the lever It which moves, thus releasing the piston Z. The diaphragm m can therefore control the closing of the tank Z independently of the diaphragm c which remains lifted. If the pressure at n again becomes the strongest, the device m g comes thus allowing the opening or closing of the tank Z, according to the position occupied' by the diaphragm c.

The device illustrated presents this advantage that is comprises connecting rods onlyto the exclusion ofcams and springs deteriorate.

The air issuing from the tank Z through the orifice' Z2 is sent eitherdirectly in the compartment ofthe ship or to a cylinder a: for Aactuating any mechanism whatsoever.

opening or closing by hand of the tank Z. This hand wheel may beused as a safety device for preventdevice. The cock will the automatic It has the advanof balancing the pres- (Z2 serves to prevent at' operation ofthe device. tage, when it 1s open,

these conditions the dia-v sure on the two facesof the diaphragm c and of thus compensating the accidental superpressure. The spring 79 produces the necessary pressure for obtaining the displacement of the diaphragm fm, and consequently the stoppage of the discharge of compressed air.

The present used for operating,

automatic device may be in the ordinary ships, the safety apparatus, for instance the water-tight doors. In this case, the piston can actuate the rack m2 of' these'water-tight doors.l lIn submarine boats it is possible to actuate by this means the safety apparatus, suchfas those insuring the releasing of the safety -weights, telephonie buoys, etc. A pipe t leads to one or more operating stations situated at various places on the vessel. Each of these stations is composed ot' a small tank r containing air compressed under a small pressure and a cock r which is always held closed by a spring. If the cock of one of these stations is opened, the air contained in the tank 1 is sent, through the pipe t to the casing a and the pressure of this air is sufficient for actuating the diaphragm c as previously described. Therefore it will be possible to operate from any place of the ship the water-tight door or any -device whatsoever. It is to be noted that the pipe t is submitted to an insignificant pressure only and that it can 4ha-ve a very small diameter. A valve t renders this device independent of the other parts.

A single cock r can control several devices similar to that described and corresponding to an equal number of compartments or mechanisms to be operated.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isas follows:-

1. In a safety device for ships and submarine boats, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a water-tight compartment communicating with'said casing, a series of levers connected with said diaphragm, a compressed air tank, a pipe leading from Said vcompressed air tank to said water-tight compartment, means controllable by -said series of levers for opening said compressed air tank, a second casing connected with said first mentioned casing, a diaphragm located in said second mentioned casing and exposed to pressure of air from said first mentioned casing, and an operative connection from said second mentioned diaphragm to vsaid series of levers for the purpose of closing said air tank.

2. Af device of the character described, comprising a casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a water-tight compartment communicatlng with said casing for the purpose of 'actuating said diaphragm,a compressed air tank for discharging air into lsaid Watertight compartment, means for 4normally maintaining said air tank closed, a series of levers connected with said means for actuating the same 1n order to open said a1r tank,

' a diaphragm connected With saidI series of levers for actuating thev latter in order to open said compressed air tank, a spring pressing upon said last mentioned diaphragm, a Casing inclosing said last mentioned diaphragm and communicating With said first mentioned casing for the purpose of subjecting said last mentioned diaphragm to air pressure from said lirst mentioned casing, and a link connecting said last mentioned diaphragm with said series of levers.

3. In a safety device of the character described, a casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a water-tight con'ipartn'ient, a pipe leading from said water-tight compartment to said casing, a compressed air tank, a pipe leading from said compressed air tank to said Water-tight compartment, a series of levers-I connected vwith said'diaphragm and provided with means for opening said air tank, a second diaphragm connected with said series of levers for the purpose of actuating the same in order to close said air tank, said second mentioned diaphragm being controllable by excess of airV pressure Within said casing due to the opening ofsaid compressed air tank, an operative connection from said second' mentioned diaphragm to saidseries of levers in order to enable a movement of said second mentioned diaphragm to close said air tank.

4. A device of the character described,

`comprising a casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a waterLt-ight compartment communicating with said casing, a cover located on one side of said diaphragm in order to provide a clearance space for movements thereof, a pipe connected with said cover and communicating with the clearancespace, means controllable at the will of the operatorfor opening and closing said i'ipe, a compressed air tank, a pipe leading therefrom to said water-tight compartment, a series of levers connected with said diaphragm, means controllable by said series of levers for discharging compressed air, a second casing con'mumicating with saitl first mentioned casing, a diaphragm mounted within said second mentioned casing and exposed to pressure of fluid .tending to travel from said first mentioned as'ing into said second mentioned casing. t

5. A. device of the character described, comprising a casing, a diaphragm located within said casing, a water-tight compartmentccnnccted with said casing, a second casing communicating with said first mentioned casing, a diaphragm located in said second mentioned casing, lever mechanism common to both of said diaphragme and controllable thereby, a compressed air tank,

a connection from said compressed air tank to said water-tight compartment, and means controllable by said lever mechanism for opening and closing said compressed. air tank. l

6. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a Water-tight compartment, a pipe connectingsaid casing with said water-tight compartment, a valve at the inlet end of said pipe, a diaphragm in said casing, a series of levers connected with said diaphragm, a compressed air tank, a pipe leading from saidco'mpressed air tank to said Water-tight compartment, means controllable by said, levers ..for opening said tank, a second diaphragm, said second diaphragm being so located as to be subjected to pressure of a iiuid Within said casing, and a connection from said last mentioned diaphragm -to said levers.

7. In a safety device for ships and submarine boats, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a Water-tight compartment connected with said casing, a compressed air tank, a pipe leading from said compressed air tank to said Water-tight compartment, a closure member for opening said air tank, a series of levers connected with said closure members in order to actuate the latter, a second diaphragm so located as to be exposed to air pressure within'said casing, and an operative connection from "said last mentioned diaphragm to said series of levers for the purpose of actuating the latter in order to open said compressed air tank.

8. In a safety device for ships and submarine boats, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm mounted within said casing, a -Water-tight compartment, a compressed air tank, a closure member for normally maintaining said compressed air tank closed, a. series of levers connected with said diaphragm and with said closure member for the purpose of actuating said closure member and thus opening ysaid compressed air tank, a connecting rod from' said compressed air tank to said water-tight compartment in order to disch-arge compressed air into said water-tight compartment when .said compressed air tank is opened, a. pipe leading from said watertight compartment to said casing, a check valve connected with said pipe and opening into said casing, a second diaphragm located in said casing and connected with said series of levers, a cover for said diaphragm and means for admitting a fluid under pressure into said cover for the purpose of actuating said last mentioned diaphragm.

9. In a safety device for ships and submarine boats,l the combination of a casing, a diaphragm connected therewith, a Watertight compartment connected with said casing, a compressed air tank for discharging aii into said water-tight compartment, a pose of actuating the latter in order to close pipe leading from said water-tight compart- .said compressed air tank. ment to said casing, a. member for opening The foregoing'speciication of my device 15 said compressed air tank, a series of levers, for automatically actuating safety and rais- 5 for aetuatin said member, a second dia- ,ing apparatus, applicable t0 ships and to phrag'm, sail second mentioneddiaphragin submarine boats, signed by me this seventh being exposedA t0 pressure of air Within said day of July 1911.

casing, vmeans for exposing said'last men.- M A'URICE BOUCHET A.,tioncdv diaphragmto pressure opposing the 10 air pressure thereagainst, and an operative Witnesses:

` connection from said last mentioned dia- H. C. CGXE,

pliragm to said seriesof levers for the pur- R. THIRIOT. 

